Rod-coupling



J. M. HUMISTON.

ROD COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED IAYZT, 1920.

1,389,661 I PatentedSept. ,1921

UNITED STATESVPATENVT OFFICE.

' JOHN M. HUMISTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROD-COUPLING.

Application filed May 27,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jor-IN M; HUMrsroN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rod-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

In getting a line through underground conduits it is customary to use jointed rods of a convenient length forhandling in the manhole.

The preferable form for these rods is wood with a metal coupling on each end. There are several forms of couplingth most common being a threaded coupling. The threaded coupling is open to the objection that the threads becomebattered in handling. The threaded ferrules are apt to have burs which cut into the fiber of the woodand reduce its strength at the coupling. The workmen are apt to use wrenches on the wood to make up the threaded joints.

In order to overcome this last objection iron pipe rods aresometimes used. These make up into a device which is too heavy and rigid to use in a structure of tile, vitrified clay not being the proper kind of structure to withstand impact. Another type of coupling in common use, consists of a hinge in two parts one part being fixed to one wooden rod and the other part to the other. The rods are coupled by bringing the two parts together at an angle fitting them so that the two. parts form a hinge with its knuckle and then straightening-the rods so that'the two elements of thehinge are in the same line. Aslong as the rods are straight the coupling is fast and the duct or pipe keeps them straight. These couplings are objectionable from defects in design resulting in breakage, because the coupling on one end of a rod is unlike the other, and because the made up group of rods like a made up group of screw coupled rods can rotate in the'duct.

The dissimilarity in the two elements of a coupling slows up the work because a workman often has to turn the rod end for end to get the proper coupling element.

The rotation of the rods is occasionally objectionable when rodding long straight runs consisting of a series of sections with manholes between. In such cases groups of the rods may be pushed through one section as the group is assembled with tow wires attached to each end, then when a manhole is reached the leading wire is detached Specification of Letters Patent.

hind the rods.

V Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 384,771.

' from the front end of the rods and attached to the rear end and the front end of the wire 18 then attached to a team or truck on the road at said manhole and used to push the group of rods through the next section. At the same time a new wire attached to the front end of the rods is pulled along to be used for pulling thev rods through the next succeed ng section and so on, the rear end wire belng used to tow a line or a cable be- The rotation of the rods and consequent tangling of the wire interferes with this method of operation. It is desirable to restrain the rods from freely rotating but at the same time not extend this restraint to the point where the rods could not be rotated with a reasonable degree of facility as it is often desirable to place au-gers or other devices on the ends of a group of rods to work through mud or similar obstructive matter.

The main objects ofthe present invention are to provide an improved form of rod coupling,which can be made up of two simple and identical parts and which is espe-' cially adapted for securely connecting such rods as are used in running a line through underground conduits; and to provide in such couplings means which will prevent freerotation of the rods, but which will permit forcible rotation when the rods are used for operating an anger for removing dirt or obstructions from the conduit.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side conduit rod.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the coupling. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the form of the coupling casting.

Fig. 4 is an end view of View of the improved a modification wherein the coupling element is a sheet metal stamping, this being the preferred embodiment.

As shown in the drawings, the coupling comprises two identical members each preferably formed of metal and having an arcuate part 1 and a ferrule 2 adapted for attachment to the end of a wooden conduit rod 3.

The arcuate part may be flat and of uniform thickness. A guide way or socket is formed at one side of the part 1 by means of a plurality oflugs 1 extending from opposite edges of the tongue 1 adjacent to the ferrule end thereof. The lugs are all arranged on the same face of the member 1 and are bent inwardly to form a guidway or socket for the outer end 5 of the corresponding tongue of rod 3.

To couple the members, the rods are swung angularly so as to cause the tongues to slide one upon the other into engagement with the lugs and when the rods are in alinement they will be securely locked together on account of the arcuate form of the tongues and their sockets.

On account of the arcuate form of the tongues, they project slightly to one side of the line of rods and serve as wings to prevent the rods from turning freely as they are joined end to end and pushed through a conduit. They do not however interfere with intentional rotation which may be necessary if the rods are used to carry an auger or to scrape the inner walls of the conduit. The joints are sufiiciently secure and rigid to prevent accidental uncoupling of the rods and to transmit thrust, I ull 0r torsional strain from one rod to anot er.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4 the coupling elements are made of sheet metal stampings and the ferrules are in the form of split rings with overlapping ends 6 having apertures 7 extending therethrough to receive a nail 8. The apertures are normally disposed out of registry and are so located that when the nail is driven into the rod through the apertures the ferrule will contract so as to firmly grip and bind the rod. I

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that some of: the details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by theferrule for attachment to the end of a rod, and an arcuate part formed to have interlocking engagement with the corresponding part of an identical member secured to a second rod.

3. A rod coupling member, comprising a ferrule for attachment to the end of a rod, and an arcuate part having a plurality of lugs arranged on one face thereof and shaped to have interlocking relation to the corresponding arcuate part of a like member secured to a second rod.

4. A rod coupling, comprising a member having an arcuate part, a ferrule integrally formed on one end of said part and adapted for attachmentto the end of arod, and a plurality of lugs arranged in opposed relation on opposite sides of said arcuate part and adjacent said ferrule, said lugs being adapted to embrace the outer end of the corresponding arcuate part on a like n1em ber secured to a second rod to interlock said parts when the rods are alined with each other. 1

5. A rod coupling, comprising a pair of members of identical construction having means for attaching them to the ends of rods, each of said members having an arouate tongue extending in the general direction of the rod to which it is attached and having a socket adjacent to said tongue, the socket on. each of said members fitting the tongue of the other of said members, said tongues and sockets being freely slidable into and out of engagement when said rods are swung in an angular direction and being rigidly interlocked when said rods are in alinement.

6. A rod coupling member, comprising a ferrule for attachment to the end of a rod, and an arcuate part formed to have interlocking engagement with the corresponding part of a like member secured to a'seco'nd rod, said ferrule being split at one side and having lapping ends provided with apertures disposed out of alinement, and so located that a nail driven inwardly through said apertures will contract said ferrule.

Signed at Chicago this 21st day of May,

- JOHN M. HUMISTON. 

